Is Cain Bigfoot? The Truth Behind 5 Mormon Folklore Stories

4. The Three Nephites

Who among us hasn’t enjoyed hearing a story about mysterious men blessing somebody's life? A group of friends, out in the middle of nowhere, finds one of their group in serious medical trouble. Two men walk up and offer a blessing, then disappear. A lone traveler approaches a group and asks for food; after giving the food, he imparts wisdom, blesses the group, and disappears. Brigham Young reportedly enjoyed telling his family about an experience he had while serving in Liverpool; he interviewed one of the Nephites—an old man with a long, gray beard, who spoke encouragement to him. The stories of the Nephites tell about help and support in times of personal need.

Obviously the exploits of the Three Nephites have become the stuff of legend. In fact, Bert Wilson says he has over 1,500 stories about these ancient disciples—many of which are simply older stories updated to modern needs. For instance, a wagon breaks down on the way to general conference, and a mysterious man steps into fix the axle; nowadays, it’s a car. “It’s the same story, but it’s adapted to different times,” Wilson says. “As long as people have problems that they need help solving, you’re likely going to have Nephite stories.”